Descent Into Darkness (28 page)

CHAPTER
LVII – Raven’s Position

It was all set. A glance at the screen confirmed it and, looking around, Jade knew everything was ready.

“Ladies and gentleman, thank you for joining the House of Jade tonight.” Jade eyed those present for their reactions - three sported looks of excitement and mirth, one of undiluted hatred, which was soon cloaked by a black sheet.

Pleased with this, she continued. “Tonight I have the utmost pleasure in bringing to you something truly memorable.” She paused to let anticipation build. “Tonight, I bring to you a high point, a chance to achieve the pinnacle, an opportunity of a lifetime that will
never
be repeated.”

Jade looked down at the monitor. More had logged in than she’d expected. Half a dozen from the Middle East, a couple from unpronounceable countries somewhere south of Russia, two from America, one Colombian, two Nigerians, three from North Africa and a varied assortment of Chinese. It was an excellent turn out and she took a second to gather herself before she continued. Amber nodded her encouragement, settling by Jade’s side and stretching out her leg to ease the pressure on her knee.

“My esteemed guests, tonight I offer you the chance to fulfil a dream.” A smile from Katarina told Jade she was doing well and implored her to continue. Both Katarina and Mela then pulled down latex hoods to cover their faces, and their excitement, before taking their places.

Jade’s heart pounded like a base drum at a gig. The moment of revelation approached. “Tonight, I offer you the opportunity to take ownership of someone you all know. I offer you the pinnacle of power, a garnish to top off any collection. Tonight, the House of Jade offers exclusively to you…”

Jade paused again. With a flash, a spotlight bathed the stage in dazzling light, picking out Mela and Katarina. Both were clad head to foot in gleaming black latex, their identities shielded behind the hoods which showed only heavily made up eyes.

Each spread their arms with a flourish, presenting a shrouded object. In unison, they tugged away the black sheet, bowing deeply as they did. A theatrical revelation of the purpose for the night’s auction, both then knelt in mock reverence to the naked woman secured between them.

“Mistress Raven!” Jade exclaimed, her voice edging between exuberant humour and triumphal pride. The camera zoomed in, Dan picking out the face of the woman hung in heavy chains under the spotlight. It was unmistakable. It was her without question, recognisable even with her face distorted behind the gag that still distended her jaw.

There was another pause, this time not of Jade’s making. She shot a concerned look at Amber, wondering if the net connection had dropped, but Amber just gave a soft shake of her head and nodded back to the screen. The bidders were recovering from their shock, and offers started to pour in.

== ~ ==

Raven shook with rage, looking unflinchingly at Jade, whose words were like a poison to her. She would not be owned, she could
never
be owned. Immelmann had been nothing but a waypoint; a prop to be used on her ascent. She was Raven. She took what she wanted and whom she wanted, when she wanted. She used, abused and discarded and with that thought she threw herself forward in frustration only to be snapped back by the chains that encircled her, head to foot.

But they were both well anchored and well planned. Raven’s wild resistance only spurred the price higher as her potential buyers bid again and again to possess the woman whose bare breasts quivered enticingly as she fought the steel.

One landmark was passed, then quickly another, yet no-one dropped out of the bidding. Approaching a million dollars though it started to slow and the silhouetted outline of one of the Nigerians faded on Amber’s display as the first of the House of Jade’s audience blinked off. It was then that Jade played the ace in her hand.

“Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, a bonus to ensure your pleasure.” It was theatre in the highest and the still kneeling women either side of Raven smiled beneath their masks. “We can
guarantee
your new slave’s compliance. It may be reluctant but she
will
comply.”

Curiosity was well and truly piqued. No more lights blinked out as the bidding broke through one and a quarter million.

“We will provide, to the winner, a video. It will warrant your new slave respects the boundaries YOU dictate.” It wasn’t necessary to say more. The bidding entered newly feverish levels.

Not broadcast to the bidders, Raven now watched the video footage Amber had managed to send out to Jade. It depicted her complicit to a capital offence. She was trapped with nowhere to go. Raven renewed the wild, rebellious floorshow that held both men and women spellbound in desire.

The bidding surged on, fuelled by testosterone driven ego now as the final female bidder dropped out. One million five hundred thousand was passed but now only half the bidders remained. “You will be slave to a man,
girl
, how pleasant for you,” taunted Jade, knowing how Raven hated the term and loathed the thought of serving a man when it wasn’t precisely on her terms.

One million six hundred thousand saw three bidders left but a further fifty thousand saw the last Chinese bidder drop out.

The two remaining bidders continued their dual, driving the price higher and higher. “Algeria or Kazakhstan? Which one will it be?” murmured Jade, just loud enough for Raven to hear. Both would offer a bleak future and Jade at least was satisfied with that.

“Looks like you are going to be bought by oil money, girl,” Jade trivially added. “How perfectly slimy.”

She looked back at the screen, the relentless upward track of bids now stalled. “Gentleman, the bid is with our guest from Kazakhstan at two million and fifty seven thousand dollars. Do I have more from Algeria?”

A pause, and then the icon for the Algerian faded, signalling the end of the auction. “Congratulations, Sir, you are now the proud owner of a new toy.” Jade strode forward as she spoke, and flicked Raven’s bloodied nose - just because she could.

Raven tore at her bonds, her very life depending on it. “If you would insert your bank details, delivery address and any special instructions into the encrypted program I am sending you now, it will do the rest and effect an immediate transfer of funds. The control video will be sent to you along with the girl.”

She was the consummate professional and Mela couldn’t help but watch Jade with a blend of awe and pride. The four women waited until a crescendo of beeps signalled the arrival of funds.

“Thank you Sir, your property will be despatched to you shortly,” said Jade, the depiction of politeness herself. She peeled off her headset with a deep breath and placed it aside.

== ~ ==

Kazakhstan. The name tumbled over and over in Raven’s head. It could only be Alexei and she knew him well, at least by reputation. He’d made his fortune during the last crumbling years of Soviet communism. He’d been the local hard man that kept commerce in the region under Moscow’s heel before embracing the ensuing period of embryonic capitalism with open arms and an especially open wallet.

He was one of the very few people Raven feared. He knew no boundaries and had only scant regard for any life beyond his own. It was the final straw and as the words crashed over her, the first tear shed in a decade edged down Raven’s reddened cheek.

CHAPTER LVIII –
A Debt Repaid

“She’s not going to like this,” cringed Mela, reading the special instructions the buyer had sent. She peeled off her hood then looked across at the chained woman, who now simply hung there, jet black hair covering her bowed face.

Jade ruffled Mela’s hair, partially restoring the spike that the clinging latex had flattened. “I think that’s the whole point,” Jade replied, smiling warmly.

Katarina climbed down from the stage to join them. “You looked fantastic up there,” whispered Amber. Katarina reached and took a gentle hold of Amber’s hand, intertwining fingers and squeezing softly.

“Two million?!” exclaimed Katarina, staring at the screen in surprise.

“Yes honey, and it’s all yours. Call it Raven’s compensation for all she did to you.” Jade finished with a look that said she would brook no protest.

Katarina could only stand and stare, her gaze moving from the screen to Jade, to Raven and back. She was stunned but an idea flashed before her. “Let me have half an hour with Raven and I’ll give you a gift of my own.”

A nod of acquiescence and it was agreed. Jade left the room with the special instructions from the buyer to study and prepare, leaving Katarina to be assisted by Mela and Amber, the chained Raven at their mercy.

== ~ ==

They carried Raven to one of the ubiquitous preparation rooms. Not dissimilar from the one where Katarina had been taken on her first day in captivity, her idea was put into action.

It was like trying to stuff toothpaste back into the tube. Their unwilling victim fought them tooth and nail, ferociously resisting every millimetre that a latex catsuit was pulled up her body.

Smothered in baby oil, there was only one result possible and, relentlessly, the tight material was drawn up Raven’s kicking legs. First past her knees, the thickly bunched material stymied her efforts to harm them but once past, a hail of kicks pummelled the three women, who worked on regardless.

With a pop, it slipped past her butt. “This is the catsuit you once had me in,” Katarina observed drily. “Of course, your fat ass is more difficult to squeeze into it.” The other two women broke into peels of laughter, almost losing hold on the oiled woman, snatching her back just in time before she could properly lash out.

An overly dramatic snort was a prelude to Katarina’s next remark. “I guess we should have cleaned it,” she sniffed, the laughter continuing as the zip squeezed over Raven’s abdomen.

Her arms were even more difficult as Raven fought frantically, but twin twists of her nipples caused her to still. The pause gave Mela and Amber time to pop first one arm and then the other through the sleeves.

Game over, there was no getting the catsuit off now. Katarina took the honours of drawing the zip up the remainder of the way, nicking the skin of Raven’s neck deliberately with the final closure before tucking the uppermost edge under the shock collar she still wore. “Oh sorry darling.” Katarina’s tone dripped in sarcasm. She patted Raven’s flank, revelling in tormenting her former tormentor. “Did I say darling? So sorry, my mistake, your collar says ‘Pretty Whore’.”

It was so demeaning in both tone and words. Raven almost felt a begrudging respect for the woman who was so adeptly turning the tables. She was inexorably being stripped of the success she had fought so long for, and it was happening so soon after she’d won it that the afterglow had barely begun to warm her soul.

Two bulbous padded mitts were the next items on the agenda and Raven splayed her fingers in a token act of defiance to prevent their fitting. “You really want me to force these on?” questioned Amber, her voice huskily matter of fact. “I think it’ll break more than a nail if I do.”

For the first time Raven obeyed, curling her fingers into a tightly balled fist. “Good girl,” Amber breathed, dangerously close to her ear.

The second mitt would not go on so easily, not after Amber’s words. Mela though didn’t care much for warnings, having been sold like nothing more than meat. So Mela forced the mitt on while Amber kept Raven’s arm still enough. Raven pounded on Amber with her free mitted hand but the sponge around her fist cushioned the blows. “It’s like being hit by a two year old’s teddy,” Amber observed, knowing it would only frustrate Raven more.

Ratcheting the buckle tightly, there was no need for locks. Fingers were no longer free to explore and with Raven’s lips stretched around the large rubber ball she could do nothing about it, much as she tried. It was minimalist bondage, effective without bindings. There was no escape and deep down even Raven knew it.

Her feet were the final piece of her enforced submission and Amber tried to lift her right ankle, only to be rewarded with a stamp on her hand. Amber snatched her damaged hand away before swinging a straightened arm straight into the back of Raven’s knees. A surprise, Raven buckled and Amber and Mela dragged her lower and to the floor.

Mela threw herself across Raven’s chest, grinding as she did onto Raven’s crushed breasts. Though small, the pressure was intense, especially when Mela slid back to place weight on her former Mistress’ throat, butt pressed hard back against Raven’s chin.

Mela’s back now filled Raven’s vision and she could now only react to touch. She kicked out as her right leg was lifted but felt something being thrust hard onto her foot, painfully bending her little toe.

“Geez, these feet are
huge
,” commented Katarina, finally forcing the boot on.

“Yeah, I’m
so
glad I don’t have to lick the boots on these big, flappy clown feet any more – it took
forever,
” quipped Mela.

Raven flexed her toes in an effort to obstruct the next boot while she bore the brunt of their jokes. Though she knew it was inevitable, she
had
to resist but the twisting of one toe after another had her curl them, at which point the second boot was thrust home.

Raven’s foot was pointed straight as it nestled into the cavity of the boot. She knew these; these were the ballet boots Katarina had been locked into by Immelmann. She’d tried them briefly before but they were difficult to walk in and hampered her wielding of the whip. They were for submissives, not for her - she submitted but strictly on her own terms.

There was worse to come though. As the second boot was laced, the constant prickling of something along Raven’s toes rose to the sensitive skin of her instep. It was an irritation that built and the more she flexed her foot to avoid it, the more the sensation grew.

“That’ll be the nettles, in case you were wondering, darling,” observed Katarina casually. “If you think they are painful now, just wait until your great ugly feet start to sweat.”

The strain was already starting to tell. Her feet weren’t used to being en pointe and Raven’s calves were burning even before they hauled her upright. They held her vertical, gravity driving Raven’s toes fully into the boots and onto the nettles.

Katarina stopped and very deliberately looked Raven up and then slowly back down. “Two million? I wouldn’t pay two bucks for that, but I guess some like them well-used.” The acerbic comment landed like yet another slap in Raven’s face yet it was the cold spray that caught her breath.

Other sprays misted over her followed by innumerable hands that started to glide over every inch of her body, polishing Raven’s catsuit to a lustrous sheen. Invasive in the extreme yet not unpleasant, they buffed in sensual circles and no matter which way she twisted, hands pushed her back, centring her in the midst of their tactile attentions.

A moan around her gag caused by circles that centred on her sex gave Raven away. She couldn’t keep her body divorced from the sensations. It welcomed the attentions of those she would’ve killed in an instant, and her shame was total.

“Bring it with us,” Katarina finally instructed. Hands dropped away but not before a patronising pat to Raven’s butt. Amber and Mela half dragged, half lifted Raven in pursuit of the woman whose catharsis was nearing completion.

== ~ ==

Jade had been working to gather what was needed but as the women returned she stopped dead to take in the sight. Two latex clad women held a third upright and that third was Raven, mitted, gagged and booted in ballet heels. It was delicious.

“This is what two million dollars looks like,” sneered Katarina. “Though she’s probably been bought in the past for just ten.” Her two assistants, Mela and Amber, released their grip on Raven’s arms as they giggled.

Raven was free, unbound but determined to stand on the towering heels, she had to keep stomping to readjust, to remain upright. Sweat beaded on her brow as she clenched her teeth around the gag.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to also add, I sprinkled a little grit in each boot. I thought you’d like that touch.” Katarina sounded at her most angelic. It was the grit that now bit and ground into toes that were already crushed into boots a size too small. Sharp, coarse stones found their way between Raven’s toes to torture the delicate skin, compounding the prickly acid of the nettle stings.

It was an excruciating agony of such poetic simplicity but each time Raven adjusted to keep her balance and pride, pain shot up the leg she’d jabbed down. She was torn between the gunshot of pain that just got more intense with each adjustment and the humiliation of choosing to kneel before Jade.

A third option flashed to mind and with a gagged cry Raven launched off agonised toes, grimly lurching toward Jade. She only made it three strides though before the shock from the collar had her stagger and shoot a foot back to brace herself. The jag of pain up her leg caused her knee to buckle but she pushed off again. She wouldn’t give up.

Two more steps forward and the collar intensified. Mitted hands thumped against it, causing the assembled women to laugh. The swing of Raven’s arms affected her centre of balance and she stumbled forward again, throwing out a foot only to be rewarded with what felt like the slash of a knife up the entire length of her leg.

Three small steps to adjust and rebalance and the shocks from her collar only got worse. Sweat pouring beneath her catsuit, Raven dropped first to one knee, then onto two to relieve the stabbing in her toes.

“Didn’t I tell you that we swapped round the polarity of your collar?” Jade explained with a saccharin-sweet smile across her lips, but none in her eyes. “That must really smart,” she continued, taking a step closer on her final word.

Raven. Proud, vain and destructively seductive, knelt before Jade.

Jade was triumphant. “Now
that’s
worth two million.”